dogs and dog-men
Over the course of five decades, the author has not gone more than a couple years without a four-legged sidekick. And every canine pal that has come for a visit or for an extended stay have been adopted from shelters or foundlings -except for two, a poodle that my mother brought home when I was a toddler and a German Shepherd that was last of a litter of a family friend’s K9. Over thirty-one years, Nicky, Tippicanoe, Señorita, and then Ms. Beagles plus some brief stray visitors have been my sidekick. During my travels in the Navy and in the Navy Reserve, my pack included Happy, and Sydney. When my mother became ill near the end of her life, we took in Nubby. Less that a couple months after the last of these geriatric pals passed on, my son brought us a puppy. That was Dexter; in 2016 we added Comet , a shelter dog. And in dog-friendly San Diego, who can possibly cope with the madness here =- commuting, politics expensive housing and heat waves, except by long walks with furry friends.
notdonner
Why “notdonner” for my ‘nom d ‘plume’? When we decided to add the dog, Comet. to the household, we didn’t change his shelter name, but also couldn’t remember it! Since it was the Christmas season, I thought of Santa’s reindeer: not Dasher, not Dancer, nor Prancer… not Donner.
Guests, stray cats, and positive bloggers accepted
I don’t know too many who are not dog-men. At various times, I have been fortunate to have a stray cat, sometimes a foundling several-weeks old, to care for. Or, as in the case with Indy, inherited, one of the most self-assured and cool-cats since Garfield of comic fame. And he also kept the dogs in check. 
So, if you are a fan of my blog, or would like to opine on life perspectives that reflect your ‘inner dog-person”, please subscribe! And I will welcome a guest blog.
